Local families spread Christmas cheer among less fortunate

Dozens of local families culminated their give-to-others holiday tradition Friday, loading enough food, clothing and toys to make sure 14 families in the New Bern and Bridgeton areas have a merry Christmas.

Dozens of local families culminated their give-to-others holiday tradition Friday, loading enough food, clothing and toys to make sure 14 families in the New Bern and Bridgeton areas have a merry Christmas.

The nonprofit Fund for Needy Children has been doing this for 20 years, according to the group’s president Dena Sierocki.

She said the effort began with a single adopted family two decades ago when “ladies in Greenbrier decided that instead of giving each other gifts, to give gifts to others.”

The project drew more interest as the years went by, with a high of 17 adopted families on holiday season.

It also brought in additional volunteer families from Trent Woods, Fairfield Harbour and River Bend. The Ladies Golf Association in Greenbrier provides toys each year.

Sierocki said that along with the donated items, the group does fundraising projects including a golf tournament at The Emerald and tournaments of the Chinese game Mahjong. That nets from $3,000 to $5,000 annually.

The funding also helps buy new shoes for school children and provide year-round eye exams and glasses.

The children in the projects, during the year and at Christmas and Thanksgiving, come through assistance from local school counselors.

“It is families who fall through the cracks for any other assistance,” Sierocki said. “They may have a low-paying job, but make too much money to qualify for another other help.”

On Friday, the group gathered at Sierock’s Greenbrier home to load the gifts, with the assistance of Santa Claus, who accompanied them on the delivers to nine families in New Bern, headed by a city police escort. Five other families from Bridgeton also received holiday gifts.

She said one family was added late in the week after they had made a telephone request for assistance to the Sun Journal. The family has twin boys, who received bicycles among their gifts.

The funding group’s board of directors includes Linda Kerr, Rae Stumpf, Pauline Leuzzi, Nancy Tomasik, all of New Bern; and Shaunia Puckett of Cove City.

Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or Charlie.hall@newbernsj.com.